Mom's Easy Hot Water Pie Crust and Toppings

Mom's pie crust was a staple in the Ahlborn kitchen. It was the base for all the family favorite sweet and savory pie-related meals we enjoyed: deconstructed chicken pot pie, 4th of July cream pies, Evan's annual fresh strawberry birthday pie, and mom's famous apple tarts. I've spent a lot of time this year perfected my execution of this otherwise simple recipe and it comes down to the same things my mom taught me when I started making it: don't over mix and do roll it out thin!

This crust recipe is much less fussy than traditional cold pie crusts that use ice water and butter (or shortening) and require frequent chilling. You still need to prepare and bake it promptly, but a warm kitchen won't be an issue.

The finished crust is slightly salty and not at all sweet, and it bakes up very flaky and tender. Mom rarely made actual pie crusts and instead rolled out sheets and sheets of pie crust squares that could be dished out individually onto a plate and topped with a savory gravy or a creamy pudding and whipped cream.

Mom's Easy Hot Water Pie Crust

Ingredients:
6 cups all-purpose flour*
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups canola oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a heat safe container (I use a four cup Pyrex measuring cup) combine the oil, water, and vinegar. Cover with a paper towel and microwave on high for 90 seconds.

In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt together until incorporated. Make a well in the flour and carefully pour in the hot liquids. Stir gently with a fork just until combined. The dough may look slightly marbled. This is okay.

Divide the dough into three equal portions and roll each one out into a thin 14x18 inch rectangle on a larger piece of foil or parchment paper. To prevent the dough from tearing I place a sheet of plastic over the dough while I roll it out. You can use plastic wrap, or like my mom, cut the sealed end off a plastic bread bag and slice it down the middle to make a large thicker sheet of plastic.

Trim the edges with a pizza or pastry cutter and cut the rectangle into smaller squares. I usually end up with 24-32 squares per sheet. Prick the dough all over with a fork to prevent bubbles during baking.

Bake for 9-11 minutes until lightly golden brown. Cool completely on a cooling rack before serving.

*Mom always used half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour for her pie crust. This makes the crust  a little healthier and more filling, but I'm often in too big of a hurry to pull out my wheat grinder to make some fresh soft white wheat flour.

Savory Chicken Pot Pie Gravy
This is my adaptation of Mom's chicken pot pie gravy

Ingredients:
1 cup peeled and sliced carrots ( I often grab a big handful of baby carrots from the fridge and chop these up.)
1 stalk of celery sliced thin
1 small onion, chopped small
2 Tablespoons butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups strong chicken broth or stock**
1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
salt and pepper
1-2 cups of cooked, chopped chicken (I always use ready-to-eat rotisserie chicken)
1 cup frozen peas

Saute the carrots, celery, and onion in a little olive oil in a large saucepan until onions are translucent and the carrots are tender, around 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Set the veggies aside, and in the same pan melt the butter. Sprinkle the flour over the butter to make a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, over medium heat until golden brown.

Gradually add the chicken broth a cup at a time and whisking until smooth after each addition. Stir in the milk. Bring the gravy to a light rolling boil for 1-2 minutes to thicken.

Reduce heat to a simmer and add the cooked vegetables, the chicken, and the peas. Add salt a pepper to taste and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot gravy over pie crust squares.

**Boxed or canned chicken broth rarely has enough flavor to create a rich gravy. I make my own stock Mom's way from a rotisserie chicken with the steps below. (Peter thinks the process is incredibly gross, but it really tastes way better than anything store bought.)

1. Remove the meat from the chicken and set aside.
2. Place the remaining bones and skin in a large stock pot.
3. Add 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon and 4 cups of water to the pot.
4. Bring the contents to a boil and then immediately reduce it to a low simmer. Simmer for 1-2 hours.
5. Remove the bones and pour the remaining broth through a fine mesh strainer. 
6. At this point you can pour the broth into a quart jar and tuck it away in the fridge for later. The fat will rise to the top and set up in a disk that's easy to scoop away later. Because of the higher gelatin content of homemade broth, it will set up too until you warm it in the microwave or on the stove top. If you want to use the broth right away, you'll need to skim off the hot fat with a spoon before adding it to the gravy.

Fresh Strawberry Pie Topping

Ingredients:
4 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
1 box of strawberry Danish Dessert (find it by the Jello) prepared per pie glaze directions with 1 3/4 cups water
2 cups heavy cream whipped
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
Cool the prepared Danish Dessert glaze to room temperature and stir in the sliced strawberries. Whip the heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Serve the strawberry topping over pie crust squares and top with homemade whipped cream. 

Fluffy Whipped Potatoes and Glazed Carrots

My sister got me thinking about this blog again this morning when she asked for my meatloaf recipe.  I directed her to this sadly neglected blog and remembered that I have two great sides for meatloaf (just in time for the cool fall weather) that really should be posted here.  Thanks for the encouragment Leslie.  Enjoy!

First the potatoes.  I found this recipe in an issue of Cook's Country magazine about a year ago.  I was intrigued by the author's introduction:

Most chefs and many cookbooks will tell you that anything but the gentlest treatment turns mashed potatoes into wallpaper paste.  My very own "Joy of Cooking" for one, sternly warns that "whipping or beating hard results in gummy potatoes." But while leafing through a 1950s cookbook not long ago, I came across a recipe that called for beating potatoes in the mixer for five minutes.  Indoctrinated by the "never whip" mantra, I was skeptical.  But a colleague confirmed that her own grandmother made whipped potatoes for Thanksgiving, and she swore that no mashed potato had ever tasted as fluffy and ethereal. - Kris Widican

My own parents whipped our mashed potatoes with a hand held electric egg beater all through my childhood with delicious results.  Somehow, in the years since leaving home, I'd become indoctrinated with the "no whip" method.  I've made plenty of rich, creamy (and rather heavy) hand mashed potatoes in that time, but I'm reconverted to whipped potatoes.  In fact, they're the only sort of mash I've made in more than a year.

Fluffiest-Ever Whipped Potatoes 
slightly adapted from Kris Widican of Cook's Country Magazine

Serves 8-10

4 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups whole milk (I've also used half-and-half with success)
8 Tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1-2 cloves of garlic, cut into halves
2 teaspoons of salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. COOK THE POTATOES (This is where I take some liberties from the original recipe.)

Magazine method: Place the potatoes in a colander and rinse under cold water for about 1 minute.  Fill a Dutch oven with 1 inch water.  Bring water to boil.  Place steamer basket in Dutch oven and fill with potatoes.  Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes. Pour the contents of the Dutch oven into colander and return the potatoes to the dry pot.  Stir over low heat until potatoes are thoroughly dried, about 1 minute. 

My Method: Place the cut potatoes in a large pot or Dutch oven.  Cover with cold water so that the water level is a good inch above the potatoes.  Bring potatoes and water to a boil over medium high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 15-20 minutes just until fork tender.  Drain potatoes in a colander and return to the dry pot over very low heat.  Stir potatoes for 1-2 minutes until potatoes are dry.

2. WARM DAIRY (The original recipe does not call for garlic, but I like to infuse the milk with a hint of it. Also, the author adds the salt and pepper to the dairy now, but I prefer to season the potatoes after they are whipped.)

While the potatoes cook, heat the milk, butter and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisking until smooth, about 3 minutes; cover and keep warm.  Be sure to removed the garlic cloves before adding the dairy to the potatoes.

3. WHIP POTATOES

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, break the potatoes into small pieces on low speed.  Add the milk mixture in a steady stream until incorperated.  Increase speed to high and whip until potatoes are light and fluffy and no lumps remain, about 2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Alternately, you can use a hand held mixer and whip the potatoes in a large bowl.  This can be a little tricky as you add the dairy, but it's doable.  DO NOT use a food processor - the blades will make potato glue.  Blech.


Glazed Carrots
from Everyday Food May/June 2003

*This carrot recipe is a family and kid favorite that I've been making for years since finding it in a stack of magazines at the home of my mother-in-law.

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds baby carrots (or about 9 large carrots peeled and cut into 2 inch lengths)
1/2 cup water
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. In a skillet, bring all the ingredients to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, for 6 minutes.
3. Cook uncovered, over high heat, tossing often until liquid is absorbed and carrots are tender, 3-4 minutes.
4. Season with fresh pepper and serve warm.

Meatloaf and dreams of granduer

I have big plans for this blog. I've been daydreaming about headers and backgrounds and how I want to present and catalog recipes. I'd like to give step-by-step instructions with pictures and even throw in the occasional video tutorial (butter flaking rolls anyone?). But obviously, it's all still imaginary at this point, and I'm afraid my big plans have kept me from posting anything less than my ideal. That ends tonight.

Introducing . . . MEATLOAF.

Let me assure you that while there are no pretty pictures to entice you to try this recipe, it is so worth your time. I've spent a few years tweaking the meatloaf I remember eating as a kid. Tonight, I struck gold. There are no fancy ingredients. It's very savory and meaty - crusty on the outside and tender and juicy inside. The glaze puts it over the top. I shared a few slices with my parents (they always stroke my culinary ego), and they raved and insisted I record the recipe immediately before I forget any of it.

Here's what you'll need for enough meatloaf to feed 4-6 people:

Meatloaf Ingredients:
1 lb. very lean ground beef (I buy 94/6)
1 package of Reduced Fat Jimmy Dean Sausage
2 ribs of celery chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
1 small onion chopped fine (about 1/2 cup)
1 large egg
2 heaping Tablespoons tomato paste
3 Tablespoons milk
1/2 sleeve saltine crackers (about 18 crackers)
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
Fresh black pepper

Here's what you do:

Step 1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray.

Step 2) Heat a Tablespoon of olive oil in a saute pan on medium high. Cook the onion and celery for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally until they soften and the onion becomes translucent. Season the veggies with 1/2 tsp. of salt and some pepper. Set them aside to cool.

Step 3) Crush the saltines to a fine crumb. I use my blender, but you could mash them up in a plastic bag using a rolling pin too. Season the crumbs with the remaining 1 tsp. salt and lots more pepper.

Step 4) In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and tomato paste. The paste will stay pretty lumpy. That's okay.

Step 5) In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, sausage, the cooled veggies, the saltine crumbs, and the liquids. Mix together with your hands (I wear disposable gloves for this part) until all the ingredients are fully incorporated. Divide the meat into two equal halves and shape them in loaves. I make mine look a bit like huge oblong hamburger patties. Set the meatloaves on the cooking sheet and begin making the glaze.

This is what you need for the glaze:

Glaze Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. ketchup
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 Tablespoons brown sugar
3/4 tsp. dry mustard powder

Step 6) Whisk the ingredients for the glaze together in a small bowl. Spoon about 1/4 cup of glaze (save the remaining glaze) over each meatloaf and pop them into the heated oven. Bake for 45-50 minutes until crusty on the edges.

Step 7) Make a loose foil tent over the meatloaf and allow it to rest for about 8-10 minutes before plating and serving. This is a great time to heat the remaining glaze in a small saucepan until bubbling or in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Serve it alongside the meatloaf for dipping.

FYI:

You can make one large meatloaf if you prefer. I like the two little ones, because they bake a little faster and there's more crusty outside to go around. Bake the large meatloaf a full hour to 1 hour and ten minutes. I check the temperature of my meatloaf with an instant read meat thermometer. Once it reaches 145-150 degrees in the center (the temp. will rise a bit while it rests) I call it good.

Tonight, we ate our meatloaf with fresh steamed green beans, fresh strawberries, and some dinner rolls. It was just right. However, who doesn't appreciate a plate of meatloaf and potatoes? I'm also pretty fond of buttered noodles on the side.

Enjoy!

My Best, Lazy Chili

There was frost on my windshield this morning. I frowned as I considered scraping snow and ice off our cars all winter long. But then I tried to look on the bright side: the cooler weather has opened up all kinds of new meal possibilities! Soups and stews, roasts and lasagna, homemade breads baking in the oven! These are some of the things I shy away from in the summer, but that I go crazy for in the autumn and winter.

I started out my autumn cooking last week with chili - my easiest and laziest chili. It's Peter's favorite, and it requires no fresh produce or unusual seasonings. Aside from browning the ground beef, there's not much more to do than open some cans.

Since I don't like chunks of tomatoes, but I really like the flavor, I puree a can of S&W brand Mexican recipe stewed tomatoes and add it to the chili. A can of diced tomatoes would work just as well for less picky eaters than myself. I also always add a can of S&W chili beans in their sauce. This is the one can of beans you do not drain and rinse. Feel free to substitute black beans, kidney beans, or another favorite for the two cans of white beans. In theory, you could soak and cook your own beans, but that would entirely defeat the point of making lazy chili. Lastly, I swear by Kroger brand mild chili seasoning. It costs 49 cents at my local Smith's, and it's my favorite blend. The end.

*****

Lazy Chili
Feeds 4 hungry people

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef
1 can Mexican recipe stewed tomatoes
1 can chili beans (pinto beans in a seasoned sauce)
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 packet of chili seasoning
1 cup frozen corn, optional

Directions:

Brown the ground beef in a pan until it is no longer pink, and drain the fat. Set aside for a moment. Open the stewed tomatoes and puree them in the blender. Combine the beef, tomato puree, beans, chili seasoning, and corn (if you choose) in a crock pot. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3 hours. If you choose to cook the chili on the stove top, let it simmer and thicken for at least one hour, but keep an eye on it and stir occasionally.

Serve warm with your favorite toppings. I like tortilla chips and a little shredded cheese. Peter likes cheese, sour cream, and saltines. Our four-year-old refuses to eat any chili and opts for a bowl of cereal. But I hope you will try it.

*****

Next week's recipe: a slightly more impressive White Chicken Chili

More Banana Bread

Are you seeing a trend here? It's obvious that I'm more baker than cook. I love my carbs. One of these days, I will post something for the stove top, but Sister Ahlborn has been waiting for this recipe for three weeks now . . . sorry Mom.

Banana Bread from The America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:

2 cups (10 oz.) all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
6 Tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
1/4 cup whole or low-fat plain yogurt  
(you can substitute sour cream, which I usually do because I always have sour cream in the fridge and hardly ever have plain yogurt.)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. and grease a 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan.

2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the mashed bananas, melted butter, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla together. Gently fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined (do not overmix - REALLY, do not overmix!) Fold in the walnuts is using. The batter will look thick and chunky.

3. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs attached, about 55 minutes.

4. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool one hour before serving.

This is far and away my favorite banana bread ever. I avoid eating my bananas just so that I can let them go dark and bake this bread. Hope you like it too!

Honey's Banana Bread

FYI: Today's recipes are brought to you per request of Elder and Sister Ahlborn. I welcome all recipe requests as they keep away blogger's block in my tired, new mommy brain. Thanks!

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Honey is my mother-in-law. When Pete and I were engaged, his sister told me that their mom had always liked the idea of being called "Honey" by her future grandchildren. Eight years, three marriages, and six grandchildren later, Honey is about all that Peter's mother gets called these days. It fits both because she's about the sweetest person around and because she makes such tasty food. Peter could live off of her banana bread, so it's good that the recipe makes a lot.

HONEY'S BANANA BREAD

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated sugar
6 Tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 eggs
6 large and ripe bananas, mashed well
5 cups all-purpose flour
7 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups milk

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three large loaf pans.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil. Beat in the eggs. Add the banana. Sift together the dry ingredients. Add one third of the flour mixture to the banana batter. Stir in half of the milk. Continue mixing in the flour and milk alternately just until the batter is moist and combined.

Divide the batter evenly between the pans and bake for 55-60 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

The Best Carrot Cake Ever

This is a carrot cake for the masses. Even people who claim that they don't like carrot cake love it. My sis-in-law, Sheri, led me to the recipe on the Pioneer Woman Cooks website. Here's a handy link if you'd like a printer friendly version. However, I've shared the recipe with a few friends, and they've had mixed results. Some of the directions are a bit vague, including the baking times and temperature. I try to clarify on those things below, but it still may take a little trial and error because every oven is has a mind of its own. I do suggest that you grate your carrots on a box grater -1 cup of finely grated and one cup of coarsely/large grated. Also, don't pack the carrot shavings into the measuring cup. Measure them loosely like flour, not tightly like brown sugar. That's all I've got, so good luck!

SIGRID'S CARROT CAKE

Ingredients:

FOR THE CAKE
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable or canola oil
4 whole eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cups grated carrots

FOR THE FROSTING
1 stick butter, softened
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pound powdered sugar
1 cup finely chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

Whisk together the sugar and oil. Beat in the eggs one at a time. In another bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder and soda, and cinnamon. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and combine. Stir in the carrots and mix well. Pour into a greased and floured pan and bake at 350 degrees until done, 25-50 minutes* depending on your pan. Cool completely before frosting.

*I usually bake this as a sheet cake for 25 minutes. I've also made it in rounds, which take more like 30-35 minutes, and as a 9x13 pyrex which ends up taking 35- 40 minutes. I've never tried it as a bundt, but I am guessing that it would take at least and hour in my oven. Hope that helps!

Frosting:

Cream together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla extract. Mix in 1 pound of powdered sugar and blend, then mix in the nuts. Spread over the carrot cake.

Lisa's Alternate, Preferred Cream Cheese Frosting:

Don't get me wrong, I love traditional cream cheese frosting, but it can be a little much on a thin sheet cake. This is a lighter textured, less sweet cream cheese frosting that both Pete and I prefer for this cake. You will need:

1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese, softened
1/3 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 cup heavy cream, very cold
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Increase the speed to medium and whip until the frosting is light and fluffy. Spread over the carrot cake. Cover and keep leftovers in the fridge.